Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-05-19
1T THE STEWART PICTURE SALE.
What a Dear Old DowaSer said-An Art
lists Reputation.

"Hsst u DttE otu DuHhstf Sdiu-hn
lists Reputation.
A Mrs Shotily was discoursing the other
evening upon the sale of the Stewart pictures
in New York
a thought of going on" she said, "to buy
some of the paintings, but | really have more
pictures than | know what to do with OF
course there We're fine things in tine Stewart
sale. but my own paintings, l may say, are
really metricious-at least | bought them as
such-and 50 concluded not to compete with
New York collectors"
The dear Old dowager would be astonished
if she knew how true her remark was, little
As she understood the true significance Of her
epithet. A good story is told of the way in
which she bought some of her "mertricious'
pictures. Several years ago she went abroad,
and took with her specimen of the paper of
her drawing room, in order that she might
buy pictures TO harmonize-or as she said to
match. An American artist in Paris wrote
home an account of her visit to the studio of
French artist of distinction. The lady ar
rived one morning by appointment, armed
with her specimen of wall paper and stated
that the architect of her house had told her to
purchase picture of given size for a GER
tain space in her drawing ROOM The artist
had no picture of these dimensions, but he
was clever enough TO understand the sort Of
woman he was dealing with and INSCRIPTIONS
enough to take advantage of her
This canvas" he said, showing her paint
ing he wished to sell, isn't the same measure
You want, because we have the metric sys-
tenn III France, and of course that is different;
but it is the measure translated into our sys-
TEN; it is the nearest thing you can get in
tins country"
The picture was half as large again as she
had asked for, but she received this expIana-
ton i'll perfect good faith and proceeded to
investigate the harmony of paper and picture.
The ohilging painter arranged the wall paper
behind the canvas, walked away from the
easel and clasped his hands in admiration:
"Ah, madame, he said, with a dramatic
Sigh, you Americans are such nationl
have searched Paris for proper background
for this picture and have not been able to find
1t; and here you bring me precisely the paper
OF which | have dreamed. Ii ! had that
PAPER would not sell you the picture at all,
but now You must have it if give it TO youl"
And he did give it to her-in exchange for
S7,0NG
At another studio she was less successful
She had been told whose pictures she ought
to buy, and applied boldly to the leading
painters of Paris. The second artist whom
SIZE saw, however, treated her with what she
ieelmgly describes outrageous brutality.
When she produced her specimens of wall
paper the Old man brusqrely interrupted her
setting forth of her wishes
lit is no use, madame, he said with great
aifectation of regret and earnestness a
never sell picture on SO slight grounds as
mere harmony with the paper hanging So
much depends upon the light that | never
risk my reputation without examining the
room in which the painting is to hang Did
you bring your house with you! If you
didn't, fear it is impossible for US to come
to an arrangement" Bates IN Provi
dence Journal